Dawson County, Texas Income Statistics
Dawson County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Dawson County Well below averageLess wealthy than 91% of counties in Texas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Dawson County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,124 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,159 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.8% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.3% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Dawson County is about 29% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing slower in Dawson County (3.8%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Dawson County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Texas average of 13%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Dawson County, Texas grew by 67.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,124 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Dawson County
| Metric | Dawson County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.644 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $60,484 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $34,406 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 43.1% | 19.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Dawson County, it is 0.644, higher than Texas's 0.570, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 76% more than women's income in Dawson County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 76% wage gap accumulates to roughly $912,730 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Dawson County, Texas has widened from about 29% to 43% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 49% in 2021, and was narrowest at 29% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $15,781 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Dawson County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.2% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 312 people are unemployed in Dawson County, Texas.
The average commute time in Dawson County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Dawson County, Texas has fallen from 7.2% to 6.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.5% in 2022 and fell as low as 5.5% in 2018.
Dawson County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Dawson County, TX is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 12,134 residents against a local median of 5,752. Where Dawson County, TX breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 43% above the local median of 4.5% at 6.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $56,124 against a local median of $71,015, 21% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Dawson County, TX reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.4% on unemployment, so Dawson County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Dawson County, TX has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County, TX | 12,134 | $56,124 #5/6 | 3.8%/yr #4/6 | 6.4% #6/6 | 0.644 #6/6 |
| Martin County, TX | 5,218 | $89,384 | 4.4%/yr | 5.4% | 0.608 |
| Lynn County, TX | 5,752 | $73,546 | 7.9%/yr | 3.7% | 0.575 |
| Borden County, TX | 713 | $71,015 | -0.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.578 |
| Terry County, TX | 11,629 | $43,966 | 1.3%/yr | 4.5% | 0.591 |
| Howard County, TX | 32,290 | $69,578 | 3.9%/yr | 5.4% | 0.608 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Dawson County, Texas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Texas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Dawson County, Texas.
How Rich Is Dawson County, Texas?
Dawson County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $56,124, about 29% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
How fast is household income rising in Dawson County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Dawson County, Texas rose 68%, from $33,486 to $56,124. Over the same years, income here outpaced Texas as a whole: +68% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Dawson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Dawson County, Texas was $57,074, up 27% from $45,065 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Dawson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Dawson County, Texas was $40,433. By 2024 it had risen 39% to $56,124.
What is the Gini coefficient in Dawson County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Dawson County is 0.644. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Dawson County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Dawson County, Texas has widened from about 29% to 43% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 49% in 2021, and was narrowest at 29% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $15,781 since 2009.
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